The most important aspect of BJJ is the tap.
We idealize the tap and set it as our goal. It also separates jiu-jitsu from sports such as wrestling. We can give up position and still eventually win.
However, there is a downside. While idealizing the tap, we also demonize it. We often make it our goal to go a day, week, or however long without being taped.
While not tapping can be good, it can also harm our progression in the art.
I believe tapping is actually good, regardless of rank.
Here are three reasons to tap early and tap often, no matter what belt you hold.
Injury Prevention
Not tapping early enough is probably the leading cause of injury in BJJ. If you simply remove your own ego and tap before you start feeling immense pain, it will save you a lot of suffering later on.
More Fun
If you are caught in a submission and just hold out for three or four minutes in the round just to say you didn’t tap, you’re doing it wrong. This is taking away from your training and also not allowing you to experiment with as many positions. The academy is a place for experimentation.
Knowledge
Tapping can give you knowledge in a variety of ways. But most importantly, it will make your partner more willing to explain how they use the position. If you fight tooth and nail, your opponent may hesitate to share with you. After a few months, you will understand most of your training partners’ favorite moves and will thus be much harder to tap in the future.
I hope this short blog has relayed the message I was intending to get across. Tap early; Tap often.
